Oxford reject wins Harvard scholarship

A grammar school pupil who was rejected by Oxford University despite predictions he would achieve five A grades at A-Level has been given a £100,000 scholarship to study at Harvard.

Mark Parker, 18, was rejected by Oxford after he was interviewed in December. He had applied to study maths.

The university's decision to reject Mr Parker - who has so far scored 100 per cent in five out of 10 maths modules and in one of his Harvard assessment tests - will reignite the row over how universities choose students.

Only 53 per cent of students admitted to Oxford are from the state sector.

In 2000, the institution's decision not to accept state school pupil Laura Spence provoked a storm of criticism.

Related Articles

Like Mr Parker, Miss Spence also travelled to Harvard on a scholarship to study biochemistry, completing her studies in 2004.

David Clough, deputy headmaster of Mr Parker's school, Ermysted's, in Skipton, North Yorks, said: "We kept stating Mark was an exceptional pupil. We had a pupil last year who gained 100 per cent in 14 out of their 15 A-level modules but Oxford turned them away too."

Mr Parker is studying for A-levels in maths, further maths, chemistry, Latin and general studies, and is expected to score top marks in every subject.

Barry Sheerman, Labour chairman of the Commons schools select committee, called for the system under which degrees are offered to be replaced.

He said: "The problem with our universities is that they assess on predicted A-grades and interviews.

"American universities put students through five different tests."

Meanwhile, China has raised concern with Britain over the poor standard of degrees being offered to Chinese students by some further education colleges.

Bill Rammell, the universities minister, said: "UK higher education is internationally renowned for high quality, high graduate employability and high student satisfaction."